Our neighbour has made a mess of our garden having building work done to their property – what should I do?
A REDDIT user is furious about their neighbour’s property renovations after it left their garden in a state.
The disgruntled homeowner took to the platform seeking advice on whether they have any legal standing in the matter.
Prior to any work being done, the neighbours had always been polite and friendly with one another, the Reddit poster explained.
So when the neighbour asked for access to their driveway, which gives direct access to both gardens, during the renovations, the Reddit user agreed.
This way, the builders wouldn’t have to carry materials through the neighbour’s home .
The poster was happy to do their neighbour a favour - but they didn’t anticipate the problems it would cause.
The Redditor said: “Fast-forward a few weeks, and I come home to find the tarmac driveway is stained with concrete from top to bottom.
“We raised this concern and were told they would clean it.
“Also, in the process of carrying their gear and materials around the back, they destroyed the lawn, leaving it to sheer mud - no wood or anything similar was placed over it to make getting things across it any easier."
The poster went on to claim that the workmen dug a trench between the two properties to lay cement for the foundations of a wall, putting all the soil into their garden.
You have to pay a £3 fee to the government and request these documents online.
The deeds provide information outlining how far property boundaries extend, even if you do not own it.
But they do not specify who is responsible for the boundary - and sometimes, the perimeters outlined are generalised.
However, documents may have a T mark that shows which fence side is yours to maintain.
Court proceedings
Be wary of taking anything to court, even if you prove the responsibility is your neighbour's - it’s an expensive ordeal.
Often, people fork out more for legal fees than for repairs to their property.
Try talking things through with your neighbour before involving lawyers, solicitors, councils or courts.
Take pictures
If you're going to get any authorities involved, make sure you have evidence.
To build any sort of case, you’ll need to provide photographic proof of conditions before and after the incident.
If you don’t have photos of the state of your property before the issue occurred, it will be hard to prove that it wasn’t previously like this.
Property feuds are very common issues, and one couple won thousands after their neighbour built a huge fence blocking their home.
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For others, nosey neighbours are an issue, leaving many wondering what can be done to alleviate the problem.
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